INGLEWOOD, CA — LeBron James, holding court before his record 22^nd NBA All-Star appearance, took some time to reflect on his future — but not too much.

At 41 years old, James remains an impact player and is reimagining what can be expected of a player his age. And though there has been plenty of speculation about James’ future beyond this season, he said he has not made up his mind on potential retirement.

“I want to live,” James told reporters Sunday, Feb. 15. “When I know, you guys will know. I have no idea. I just want to live, that’s all.”

James was speaking at a press conference at the Intuit Dome, hours before he plays for Team Stars in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, which will employ a USA vs. World format.

James recently became the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double and is averaging 22.0 points, 7.1 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game across 36 appearances.

But he’s essentially on an expiring contract, and will be able to test the open market this offseason, a rarity for a player of his stature.

The Los Angeles Lakers went into the All-Star break 33-21, in fifth place in the Western Conference, which is crowded at the top. Just three games separate the No. 6 team, the Timberwolves, and the No. 2 team, the Spurs.

James has maintained that he wants to compete for championships in his final seasons, but Los Angeles will face stiff competition for the conference title.

This has been magnified by injury issues the Lakers have faced.

“Most important for our ball club right now is health,” James said. “I can’t state it any more clearly. I’m not quite sure how many games we’ve had where we’ve had a full roster. We’re over the half-way point and it has not been many games. …

“Our success is going to come down to our health. Our coaching staff is going to put us in the right position, they’re going to give us the game plan every night, but when it comes to what we have to work with, we actually have to see it.”

When James was asked if the uncertainty surrounding his personal future in Los Angeles was weighing on him in any way, he rejected that notion.

“Nah, we’re gearing up toward the postseason,” he said. “It has nothing to do with that. Same motivation, same mind factor. We got past the marathon and now the sprint is about to start. I think everybody understands that.”

Still, James was asked about his post-playing plans, and if he had any ambitions about ownership of an NBA team. He said he would explore that and any other potential ventures that might interest him down the road, though he stressed that his focus is on the remainder of the season.

“What I want to do at 45, 50 and 55 will be creating great vibes and fun with my family and my friends. That’s one of my passions: creating memories that will last forever. That’s for sure the most important thing for me, creating things that we will never forget.”

MILAN – The Americans will get a deserved day off, a chance to rest and reset ahead of going into the elimination round.

The 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament has entered the interesting stage, where it’s win or go home. USA next plays Wednesday, Feb 18, against the winner of Tuesday’s qualification game between Sweden and Latvia.

‘As this tournament starts to move forward, the stakes get higher, the competition gets stiffer, and I think our guys are excited for that challenge,’ USA coach Mike Sullivan after his team improved to 3-0 in round-robin play on the strength of taking down Germany, 5-1, Sunday at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

‘I thought we got better as it went along,’ Matthew Tkachuk said. ‘I thought today was a really complete game, top to bottom. Really happy with the way everybody played. I thought we controlled most of it and the shifts we didn’t control, because they have some really talented players over there, we stayed tight. We stayed compact. 

‘We lived to fight another day. All in all, very, very pleased with how we’re going into the quarterfinals.’

Tkachuk had the chirp of the tournament so far when he yelled at Germany captain – whose Edmonton Oilers Tkachuk’s Florida Panthers has defeated in the last two Stanley Cup Finals – that he was, ‘always a bridesmaid, never a bride.’

Tkachuk and his brother, Brady, have been impact players every game.

‘They’re so effective in the game,’ Zach Werenski said. ‘Even when they’re not scoring or getting on the score sheet, they’re affecting the game in different ways, and they’re tilting the ice in our favor. They’re always talking, they’re always positive, they’re always getting guys going.’

Werenski was first to score Sunday, set up by Auston Matthews, the team captain, who also had two goals.

‘The confidence just continues to grow within our group,’ Matthews said. ‘The chemistry, just being comfortable with one another, playing with new guys that maybe you’re not as used to playing with – each game I think we’ve taken steps in the right direction of where we want to grow our game going into the quarterfinals and it’s good to see.’

While USA faced three underdogs in the preliminary round, there were still good tests along the way. The Americans didn’t play down to the level of their opponents. Being sharp matters even when a loss isn’t the end of the tournament – and can help carry over the momentum as the games shift to elimination.

‘I just think the difference is, it’s a Game 7 scenario,’ Sullivan said. ‘The winner moves on. I think these guys, they understand it. They’ve played in a number of different circumstances that are very much like this. The most important thing from our standpoint, is we control what we can. We try to build our game. We put our best game in the ice, and we’ll see where that takes us. But we really like our group. We think we’re built the right way. We think we have a lot of talent, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.’

Texas Tech’s bus tires were slashed after the Red Raiders defeated No. 1 Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 14, a Texas Tech spokesperson confirmed to the USA TODAY Network on Feb. 15.

‘The team bus had one tired punctured overnight but it was replaced in the morning,’ the statement read. ‘There were no disruptions to the team’s travel schedule.’

A video circulated social media Feb. 15 of a sharp object puncturing a Texas Tech bus tire after its 78-75 upset win over No. 1 Arizona, which suffered only its second loss of the season. One video of the tires being slashed on X has over 670,000 views.

The Red Raiders’ star duo of forward JT Toppin (31 points) and guard Christian Anderson (19 points) scored 50 combined of the team’s 78 points. Toppin also added 13 rebounds, while Anderson chipped in eight assists and six boards.

Arizona lost star true freshman Koa Peat to injury in the game. The 6-8 forward scored two points and didn’t play after suffering the lower-body injury the first half.

The Wildcats entered the week as one of two remaining undefeated teams in Division I, along with No. 24 Miami (Ohio). However, they fell to Kansas on the road on Feb. 9 before dropping another to Texas Tech, and will lose their No. 1 ranking in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll update on Feb. 16.

MILAN — Cheating allegations have rocked the men’s curling competition after Sweden accused Canada of intentionally breaking the rules in the Canadians’ 8-6 preliminary round win at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin accused Canada’s Team Brad Jacobs of double touching the stone during their preliminary round matchup at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on Friday, Feb. 13. Tensions boiled over between the squads and a NSFW exchange ensued, resulting in a verbal warning from World Curling.

Kennedy initially asked who before responding, ‘I haven’t done it once. You can (expletive) off.’ Eriksson said he’ll show Kennedy ‘a video after the game,’ which Kennedy replied, ‘I don’t give a (expletive).’

The heated exchange started when Swedish third Oskar Eriksson told Canadian third Marc Kennedy, an Olympic gold-medalist at the 2010 Vancouver Games, ‘Apparently, it’s OK touching the rock after the hog line.’

In response to the accusations, World Curling said officials would monitor opponents’ deliveries more closely moving forward.

‘It is not possible for World Curling to have game umpires positioned to observe all hog lines for every stone delivery,’ the organization said in a statement on Saturday. ‘However, beginning with the Saturday (Feb. 14) afternoon session, two officials will move between all four sheets and observe deliveries.’

But the double touch controversy continued on Saturday when the Canadian women’s team was called for the same infraction the men were accused of. Canada’s Rachel Homan was called for a rules violation for touching the rock in the team’s narrow 8-7 loss to Switzerland. Her first stone was removed as a result, which Homan immediately contested. ‘I’ve never done it in my life,’ the Canadian skip told officials.

‘Yeah it’s frustrating, the officials getting into the game that they have no business getting into,’ Homan told CBC Olympics following the loss. “They said I touched the stone after I let it go, which is so far from the truth, it’s crazy … Just making something up, I don’t know. We have the Maple Leaf on our back, I’m not sure.”

World Curling released another statement on Sunday, Feb. 15, about positioning of umpires: ‘Two umpires who had previously been actively monitoring athlete deliveries remain available in the field of play, but will now only monitor athlete deliveries at the request of the competing teams.’

Here’s everything we know about the men’s curling cheating allegations:

How does Olympic curling work?

Two teams of four people each take turns gliding 44-pound stones down a sheet of ice toward a target that looks like a bullseye. Each match features six to 10 rounds, called ends. The stones have a handle on them, so when they are released, they curl down the ice. As the stone glides toward the target, players sweep the ice in front of it, which can affect the direction and the speed of the stone. 

During each round, teams take turns throwing eight rocks, and the team with the rock or rocks closest to the center of the target wins the end. Players can throw guards to block the target, draws to try to score or takeouts to remove the opponent’s stones as each end plays out. There are three curling events in the 2026 Winter Olympics: Men’s curling, women’s curling and mixed doubles.

What happened with Sweden vs. Canada men’s curling?

Team Sweden alerted officials of their opponents’ potential delivery issues during Friday’s matchup, resulting in game umpires being positioned to observe Canada for release infractions for three ends. 

‘During this period of observation in the Friday evening game, there were no violations recorded,’ World Curling said in statement on Saturday.

Sweden’s Eriksson alleged that the Swedish team has video evidence of the delivery issues, but World Curling said video replays cannot be used ‘to re-umpire game decisions. Decisions made during a game are final.’

What happened with Canada vs. Switzerland women’s curling?

Canada skipper Rachel Homan’s first stone was removed from the ice by officials for a double touch violation while facing off against Switzerland on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the drama unfolded in the Canadian men’s matchup against Sweden on Friday. An umpire placed on the hog line determined Homan touched the stone again after release. The Canadian team argued the call with chief umpire Brett Waldroff and requested video replay, which isn’t available in curling.

‘Absolutely not,’ Homan said of the violation, adding there’s a ‘zero percent chance’ she double-touched.

Even after Canadian second Emma Miskew and lead Sarah Wilkes’ continued protest the call, the stone was eventually removed. After her next throw, Homan told officials, ‘It’s the same throw as my last one. It’s unreal.’

The Canadian women went on to lose the match to drop to 1-3. Homan said the violation got in her head, telling CBC Olympics, ‘Obviously it rattles you and we fought hard and we lost in an extra by one point. It’s just a shame that had to happen.’

Is double touching allowed in curling?

According to the World Curling rulebook, players can retouch the handles before the hog line, ‘a line extending across the width of the sheet that is parallel to each tee line,’ but touching the handle after the hog line isn’t allowed. A violation would result in the stone being removed from play.

— Rule R.5 (e): “A stone must be clearly released from the hand before it reaches the hog line at the delivery end. If the player fails to do so, the stone is immediately removed from play by the delivering team.”

A player is not allowed to touch the granite of the stone during forward motion. This violation would also result in the stone being removed from play.

— Rule R.5 (d): The curling stone must be delivered using the handle of the stone.

Curling Canada responds

The Canadian men’s team was issued a verbal warning over explicit language used during Friday’s game. According to World Curling, Kennedy’s profanity broke Rule R.19, which states: “Improper conduct, foul or offensive language, equipment abuse, or willful damage on the part of any team member is prohibited. Any violation may result in suspension of the offending person(s) by the curling organization having jurisdiction.”

Curling Canada said its athletes showcased ‘passion’ during the ‘highly competitive’ matchup, but noted that the organization was supportive of the warning.

‘We want to reaffirm that Curling Canada fully supports fair play, respect and sportsmanship, values that are fundamental to our sport,’ the statement reads. ‘We appreciate the support and enthusiasm of curling fans everywhere, and we look forward to continuing to cheer on and support our Canadian teams in Cortina on their journey.’

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MILAN — U.S. Figure Skating did not appeal the controversial finish to the 2026 Winter Olympics ice dance competition that involved Team USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates and France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, a USFS official told USA TODAY Sports.

‘There has been a lot of thoughtful, and at times emotional, discussion about the ice dance competition in Milan,’ USFS CEO Matt Farrell said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. ‘Working together with Madi and Evan after the Games, we will have thoughtful and intentional discussions about the best way to support them and the future of the sport.

‘For now, we plan to join them in supporting the success of U.S. Figure Skating in Milan.’

The 24-hour window to appeal the Feb. 11 results has long closed. Outside of an appeal, sending a letter of concern to the International Skating Union is always an option.

The statement comes after public scrutiny and calls to challenge the results of the ice dance competition, which many believe was scored incorrectly. Going into the free dance, Beaudry and Cizerone led Chock and Bates by 0.46 points, virtually making it a toss-up in the final performance.

Chock and Bates delivered a flawless showing with their ‘Paint It Black’ program, and earned a score of 134.67 to bring their total to 224.39. Beaudry and Cizerone followed the American pair and had a strong showing, but did have some slight mistakes that gave the indication Chock and Bates would be the winners. However, the French pair was given a 135.64 for a total of 225.82 points, securing the gold medal.

Amid the confusion over the results was the reveal of the judges scores, which added fuel to the fire. The biggest source of ire was the scores French judge Jezabel Dabouis submitted. She awarded Beaudry and Cizeron a 137.45 and Chock and Bates a 129.74. That more than seven-point differential was the largest among any of the judges, and the 129.74 was Chock and Bates’ lowest score, fueling speculation she purposely favored her home country’s team.

Immediately after the medal ceremony, the couple were flooded with emotion and tears, calling it a ‘bittersweet” moment to just fall short of gold. The following day of the competition, the couple said they had spoken to their coach about the scoring, and believed the reaction from the results was not good for the sport.

“Any time the public is confused by results, it does a disservice to our sport,” Chock said. “It’s hard to retain fans when it’s difficult to understand what is happening on the ice. I think there needs to be a lot more clarity for the skaters, for the coaches and for the audience, in order to just have a solid fan base moving forward. People need to understand what they’re cheering for and be able to feel confident in the sport that they’re supporting.”

The four-time Olympians received an outpouring of sympathy from fans and fellow figure skaters. It was the couple’s first Olympic ice dance medal, in addition to the two gold medals they’ve won in the team event, including in this year’s Games.

“It means a lot that people are voicing their opinions on our behalf,” Bates said. “The way that we skated and the way that we’ve approached chasing these goals, hopefully has resonated with people at home even in our response. I think hopefully that, too, can reflect the Olympic spirit.”

The NBA All-Star Game is known for bringing together the most talented and notable players from around the league.

The game also attracts celebrities and public figures from across the country to gather and enjoy basketball.

Former United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were among those in attendance for the event, sitting next to basketball legend Julius Erving.

The game features two American teams and a World team at the Intuit Dome on Sunday, Feb. 15.

Obama is a known basketball fan who embraced the game and his fandom while he was in office. He would share his predictions for the NBA Finals or fill out a bracket for the NCAA college basketball tournament.

“There’s a lot of concern about the All-Star Game and not seeing effort (from the players),” Obama said during an interview with analyst Reggie Miller on the NBC broadcast. “Today we are seeing (that effort). Anytime you get Americans vs. International (teams), they want to bring it.”

The NBA has experimented with different formats for the All-Star Game in recent years. All three teams will play each other in a small tournament before the two teams meet in the championship game.

The Americans defeated the Germans 5-1 on Sunday, Feb. 15, to finish atop Group C. That means the USA gains a bye to the quarterfinals and avoids the qualifying round.

There was no adversity in Sunday’s game after two disallowed goals against Latvia and a 2-1 first-period deficit against Denmark. Germany didn’t score until past the midway point of the third period after the USA had built a 5-0 lead.

The USA finished with a 3-0 record and the second overall seed. Auston Matthews had a pair of goals from around the crease also set up Zach Werenski for the game’s opening goal with 8.7 seconds left in the first period.

‘We just wanted to win so we could win the group,’ Matthew Tkachuk said. ‘That was the only – we never talked once about top seed at all. None of that seeding stuff. All that handles itself.’

Canada finished first overall, and Slovakia and Finland also earned byes. The four countries will play on Wednesday against the winners of Tuesday’s qualifying games. The USA will play the winner of the Sweden vs. Latvia qualifying game.

USA TODAY provided live updates from Sunday’s USA-Germany game. Here are the highlights:

Watch Winter Olympics on Peacock

Qualifying round, quarterfinals set

The qualifying round is on Tuesday, Feb. 17 and the quarterfinals are on Wednesday. Here are the matchups:

• 6:10: Germany vs. France. Winner plays Slovakia.
• 6:10: Switzerland vs. Italy. Winner plays Finland.
• 10:40: Czechia vs. Denmark. Winner plays Canada.
• 3:10: Sweden vs Latvia. Winner plays USA.

Final score: USA 5, Germany 1

The American earn a bye to the quarterfinals.

Germany power play

Matthew Tkachuk is called for unsportsmanlike conduct. USA kills penalty. USA chants start.

Less than 5 minutes left

5-1 USA.

Germany goal: Tim Stutzle gets Germany on board

Nice shot by Tim Stutzle high into the net as Germany breaks through at 11:22 of the third period. USA 5, Germany 1

USA goal: Auston Matthews scores

The USA captain is having a big game. He’s standing in the crease and Jake Sanderson finds him for a easy tip-in. Matthews’ first goal was scored from around the same area. USA 5, Germany 0

USA goal: Tage Thompson scores

Tage Thompson can do it all: skate, stickhandle and shoot hard. He did the last one with a booming one-timer from near the blue line. USA 4, Germany 0

Third period underway

3-0 USA, which is 20 minutes from the Group C title and a bye to the quarterfinals.

End of second period: USA 3, Germany 0

Auston Matthews made it 2-0 early in the second period, taking a pass from Matthew Tkachuk just outside the crease. USA moved ahead 3-0 with 2:25 to play in the period when Brock Faber fired a shot on net from along the boards. Jack Eichel had a stick ready by the crease for a potential rebound, but it wasn’t needed: Faber’s shot went in, with assists going to Matthew and Brady Tkachuk.

USA goal: Brock Faber scores

Brock Faber takes a shot from the point that goalie Maximilian Franzreb can’t glove and it goes into the net at 17:35. The Tkachuk brothers each get an assist. USA 3, Germany 0

Less than 5 minutes left in second

USA leads 2-0 and has a 26-15 edge in shots.

Germany power play

Zach Werenski is called for slashing. Germany can throw out Leon Draisaitl and Tim Stutzle on the power play but didn’t do much on its first opportunity. This time, Germany was more dangerous but Connor Hellebuyck kept the puck out.

USA goal: Auston Matthews scores on power play

Quinn Hughes rips a shot and Matthew Tkachuk gets the puck to Auston Matthews, who scores at 3:25. USA 2, Germany 0

USA power play

Kai Wissmann is called for interference.

Germany power play

Jack Eichel is called for hooking. USA gets shorthanded chances by Brock Nelson and Dylan Larkin. Eichel also gets a chance coming out of the penalty box as the USA kills it off.

Second period underway

1-0 USA.

Denmark beats Latvia: What that means

Latvia’s loss prevents the possibility of a three-way tie atop Group C. That means Germany would clinch Group C if it beats the USA in regulation. The USA will win Group C if it wins Sunday’s game or gets an overtime or shootout loss.

End of first period: USA 1, Germany 0

The Germans, much like the Danes the night before, stuck to a simple game plan against the Americans, focusing on keeping the puck out of the of zone and letting goaltender Maximilian Franzgreb saw the puck. USA was unable to generate much momentum off a power play. The Germans got engaged physically, with Moritz Muller dishing it out to Matthew Tkachuk late in the period.

USA scored with 8.7 seconds left in the period with Zach Werenski firing a shot from the right circle, picking a corner of the net off a pass from Auston Matthews.

USA goal: Zach Werenski gives USA lead

Zach Werenski scores with 8.7 seconds left in the period from the right faceoff circle after a pass from Auston Matthews. USA 1, Germany 0

Play blown dead

Matthew Tkachuk’s helmet comes off, so play was stopped. Jack Eichel put the puck in after the whistle was blown. No goal.

Germany continues to press

The Germans have the last five shots in the game. Less than two minutes in the first period.

Germany chance

Connor Hellebuyck makes a glove save on JJ Peterka.

USA controlling play

The USA has a 12-3 edge in shots and has had several solid chances, but Maximilian Franzreb has kept the puck out.

USA goes on power play

Lukas Kalble is called for hooking. USA passes it around well and gets some good chances but Maximilian Franzreb makes the saves. Penalty killed.

USA gets early chance

Maximilian Franzreb stops Matt Boldy in tight.

Game underway

USA’s Connor Hellebuyck vs. Germany’s Maximilian Franzreb in net. The Jack Eichel line with the Tkachuk brothers is out first.

What time is USA men’s hockey vs. Germany?

Puck drop is at 3:10 p.m. ET.

Where to watch USA men’s hockey vs. Germany?

USA Network is broadcasting the game. Peacock is live streaming it.

Goaltending matchup

USA’s Connor Hellebuyck vs. Germany’s Maximilian Franzreb.

Team USA lines vs. Germany

Connor Hellebuyck to start for USA

This will be his second start. He was in net for a 5-1 win against Latvia in the opener.

Canada win likely prevents USA from top seed

What’s next for USA men’s team

If USA beats Germany, that means a bye into the quarterfinals. The group winers and the fourth-place team advance, while the other eight teams play a qualification round on Tuesday, with the winners advancing to meet the top four seeds.

How the Olympics men’s hockey tournament works

The 12 teams are divided into three groups. They are:

• Group A: Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, France
• Group B: Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy
• Group C: USA, Germany, Latvia, Denmark

Teams play one game each against the other three teams in their group. Countries get three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win, one for an overtime/shootout loss and zero for a regulation loss.

After the preliminary round is complete, teams are seeded 1 through 12 under the following criteria:

• Higher position in the group
• Higher number of points
• Better goal difference
• Higher number of goals scored for
• Better IIHF world ranking

The top four teams (group winners and best second-place team) get a bye to the quarterfinals. Teams 5-12 play in a qualifying round, with the winners going to the quarterfinals.

Playoff qualification games are on Feb. 17, quarterfinals are Feb. 18 and semifinals are Feb. 20.

The bronze medal game is Feb. 21 and the gold medal game is Sunday, Feb. 22.

PEORIA, AZ — Nick Castellanos spoke calmly, evenly, almost emotionless Sunday after signing with the San Diego Padres, says there are no hard feelings for the way his tenure ended with the Philadelphia Phillies.

He also has no regrets.

Castellanos, released by the Phillies after attempting to trade him all winter, apologized in an open letter to Phillies’ fans for bringing a beer into the dugout during a game against the Miami Marlins in June after being pulled from a game.

‘What I will learn from this is just letting my emotions get the best of me in a moment,’ Castellanos said. “Possibly if I see things that frustrate me, or I don’t believe are conducive to winning, to speaking up when I see it instead of letting things just pile up over time. Then, finally when I address it, it’s less emotional.’

Yet, he has no remorse over publicly venting his frustrations.

“In the moment, I felt how I felt and I spoke from the heart,’ Castellanos said, “and I was honest in every word that I said. You know, it’s not like I was outwardly ever displaying that, like I kept it all inside. But when I was asked a question [by Phillies’ beat reporters in September], I shot straight.

“And then people perceived it how they wanted to.’

When asked if he wished things had ended differently in Philadelphia, he shook his head, citing only the failure to win a World Series championship.

“I mean, I think winning solves everything,’ Castellanos said. “So, I think the one thing that I wish would have ended up different that we would have won.’

Castellanos, 33, who was in the final year of a five-year, $100 million contract, was labeled as a malcontent, with several teammates privately calling him selfish in a report by The Athletic. When he openly criticized Phillies manager Rob Thomson for his lack of communication, the Phillies decided they didn’t want him back, and told every team that he was available.

A.J. Preller, Padres president of baseball operations, said he spoke frequently with Phillies president Dave Dombrowski about acquiring Castellanos beginning last November, while knowing that he likely would be released if he wasn’t traded. They stayed patient, and pounced Thursday when he was released.

The Padres immediately set up a Zoom call with Castellanos. Preller, GM Josh Stein and rookie manager Craig Stammen spoke to him, and determined that whatever problems he might have had in Philadelphia, he’d be just fine in the San Diego clubhouse.

“We did a lot of homework,’ Preller said. “We were just trying to get a grasp of exactly what happened. So we talked to a ton of people that have history with Nick, teammates, coaches, people have been around him. … It was more about the clubhouse dynamic, getting information about work ethic and the love of the game and what kind of teammate he is.’

Preller admits he was originally unaware of the beer incident. So, yes, they talked about that, too

“Obviously, everyone’s got their side of the story,’ Preller said, “but I think for us it was most important about getting face-to-face with him, hearing his thoughts.’

Castellanos’ explanation was convincing enough for the Padres to go ahead and sign him.

“You know, I’ve made many mistakes on this job,’ Preller said, “and ultimately when people own up to those mistakes – and he did that in our call – it’s about giving guys another opportunity. He gets a fresh start here and a fresh opportunity.’

Said Stammen: “You know, we just laid out expectations. He wants the truth. He wants to be direct. He’s a direct person. And I think the more that I can be that way for him, and the Padres can support him in that manner, the better off we’ll be.’

Preller convened with Padres chairman John Seidler and president Eric Gruepner, while also getting the blessing from several of their veterans – including third baseman Manny Machado – before offering Castellanos a job. Machado, a childhood friend of Castellanos growing up in Miami, immediately gave his blessing.

“I really don’t know the details of what happened over there,’ Machado said. “Don’t really care. Honestly, I’m just happy we got him for what we got him for, and he’s going to improve our team tremendously. That’s all that we care about, you know.

“At the end of the day, we want him to come out here and ball out. I know that he’s a baller. He can play the outfield, play a little bit at first base. He can hit with the best of us in the big leagues. So, you know, to have him in our lineup is going to be huge. …

“I got my guy here with me, and it’s going to be a fun year playing together.’

Castellanos, who has hit 250 homers with 920 RBIs and a .785 OPS in his 14-year career, says he’s looking forward to proving that he still is an everyday player. He has been to the postseason five times in the last six years, but has never won a World Series, believing that winning a title with Machado would be the ultimate dream.

And while Castellanos says San Diego is a perfect fit and is his son’s favorite city, he brought up the Padres’ close-knit relationship with players, believing that his deteriorating relationship with Thompson or coaches wouldn’t happen in San Diego.

“How they treat their players,’ Castellanos said, “and how they have their backs. Even if you know something goes a little awry, they still stand with them. They don’t deviate from their commitment to him as a person. So all those things come into account.’

The way the Padres figure it, they’re adding a two-time All-Star who still hit 17 homers and drove in 72 runs, for virtually nothing. They are paying Castellanos just the $780,000 minimum salary with the Phillies picking up the remainder of his $20 million contract. (“I mean, talk about getting a $20 million player for pennies on the dollar,’ Machado said).

So, if Castellanos doesn’t perform well, turns out not to be a fit in the clubhouse, the Padres could easily dump him. No harm, no foul, and no risk.

“They’re giving me an opportunity, that’s all I can ask for,’ Castellanos said, “to be able to come here, be myself, work hard, make a club, earn my playing time, and just help really in any that I can ….

“I think this is a very talented team. There’s a lot of veterans here. And the city of San Diego has never won a World Series. So however I can contribute to that and help this team accomplish that goal, I’m more than willing to do so.’

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